Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by jjranch, Apr 5, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Bigowl

    Bigowl Light Load Member

    75
    4
    Nov 25, 2009
    Dallas, Texas
    0
    Well jess-juju,
    It's not that bad. Driving you at least have the the beautiful views of the country while listening to you radio. When you park you can watch TV while prepare your meal in you truck. If you are a man you don't have to walk 100 yards to the bathroom if you know what I mean. Trucking is really what you make of it. . .
    What you describe jess-juju my friend sounds more like a prison.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Panhandle flash

    Panhandle flash Road Train Member

    5,597
    6,014
    Jul 18, 2008
    Oklahoma City
    0
    And it can be a prison sometimes, no matter how you look at it. Tv, well if your in a place that you can actually pick up the new digital signal. Radio, well with all the stations owned by the same people....the same music is played everywhere. I DO LOVE MY SIRIUS RADIO THO. Beautiful views. There out there to look at, which is all you'll be doing. Cooking- planning to buy an inverter and all that goes with cooking? Central does not provide any of that.
    Not trying to rain on your parade but Jess was telling it like it is. Don't get me wrong now, I love it out here and wouldn't want to do anything else at this time in my life. I do have most of the amenities to make life easier out here. I also had and still have a slush fund to help me get by the lean weeks. My bills are few and thank god I don't have a family to support. Would have to still be working for the state and hateing my job everyday. I'm sure I could say more but expect you get the drift.
     
    Bigowl Thanks this.
  4. smadronia

    smadronia Heavy Load Member

    938
    278
    May 26, 2007
    Oregon
    0
    Yup, when your truck isn't so loud as to drown out all sound, or you're not trying to listen to it over the CB while driving in Wyoming. Or all those beautiful views while you're driving at 3am, or in heavy traffic, or in a blizzard, or across wyoming for the 100th time that year.

    Provided you have all the things necessary to do that, and the energy to want to do it. It's not cheap to outfit your truck to do all that, even if you have some of it.

    And that's a chunk of why I hate men, and why I hate parking in truck stops. The smell is unbelievable.

    Trucking might be what you make of it, but when your dispatcher gives you that impossible load, you eat something that has you ill, and you're fighting an ice storm, blizzard, or rush hour traffic, you haven't been home in 6 weeks, and you didn't sleep the night before, it's hell.
    It's easy to claim it's what you make of it, until you get that day where you're ready to call up the company you work for, and tell them to come get the truck because you are done.
     
    jess-juju Thanks this.
  5. smadronia

    smadronia Heavy Load Member

    938
    278
    May 26, 2007
    Oregon
    0
    I don't know if anyone answered this one, but NYC is not that common. In 2.5 years of driving we've only been once, although we had a load twice that would go there, but we dropped it. One of the common NYC loads loads out of the city next to where we live.

    On the other hand, a friend of mine went into NYC three days in a row just a week or two ago. That is pretty rare, and her DM was going after Safety over it, because 3 days in that area is not safe.

    As far as dedicated routes, nothing dedicated really runs out of the west. However, there's a super 7 run or something like that, where drivers run the western 7 states. I don't know all the details, or who you have to talk to for getting on it, but I have met drivers who do it.
     
  6. Bigowl

    Bigowl Light Load Member

    75
    4
    Nov 25, 2009
    Dallas, Texas
    0
    Well jess and panhandle,
    I was just trying to look on the bright side. Everyone makes driving a truck seem like such a horrible thing. I know there has to be some good in it somewhere. I'm just trying to stay positive so, I can do my best and one day be given a dedicated account like 1bad. I've learned so much from the truckers wifes here I will be much better perpared when I hit the road and hopefully my family will be a little better perpared too. That's the best advice I have ever heard newtruckerwidow. I know it will help me for my wife to at least show strength in front of me. If she were to break down and cry in front of me I would not leave as I would think I was doing something wrong. Thoses of you trucker wifes I don't know how you do what you do but, you have the world on your shoulders although you make it seem like everyday life. Thank you and keep your wonderful advice comming . . .
     
  7. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    I thought that was a fairly good description of my normal day. Though I normally will not stop every 3-4 hours. More like once every 6-8.
    I do not stop during the run, unless it is a set fuel stop or I really have to go. Or my day is done.
    Get more miles with the left door closed.
    As to the "you know what I mean thing". Yes, I normally have a bottle in case of emergency, but I really hate to use it. This is my office and my bedroom. Not my toilet. Plus when I need to go I prefer to kill 2 birds with 1 stop.
    I would never go in a parking lot, or empty a bottle there. They go in a dumpster as soon as possible.
    Ok, enough of that.

    Trucking is not a bad lifestyle.
    I really enjoy what I do most of the time. Some days are frustrating, but that happens in any job.
    Lucky for me I am home most weekends. This helps allot and makes it more of a job than my life. I get to go fishing, ride my motorcycle, visit my wife, etc.
    Full OTR is not like that though. It is your life, no matter how much you want it not to be.
    You are home 4 days a month. Do the math. That means you are home like 6 weeks a year. The rest of the year you are working or sitting in your truck somewhere. That is not a job, that is a life.
    I do not have kids, which is a good thing because if I did I have no idea what I would do for work. I could not miss that much of there growing years. This is just me, I guess I am weak like that.

    Trucking is a necessary part of this country. It will never go away totally. Eventually 95% of the jobs will be home weekly and regional. I think that would be a good thing for the industry. Maybe even hourly pay, that could be good also. I would like to get something for the first 2 hours at a shipper or receiver.
    I would like to get compensation for my time away from my house. Will it happen soon? Nope. Not without the government making changes, especially to the worker classification of a truck driver, and they are in no hurry to get that changed. They have the ATA as well as all the big businesses that we ship for making sure it does not happen.

    The reason that many people say this job is hard is mostly psychological. It is mentally hard. Physically flatbed can be hard, but dry van and refer are pretty easy. Though you do get some cramping muscles after driving hours every day. Also it is not good for your health.
    Even if you do exercises, sitting in one position for 8-11 hours a day is bad for circulation.
    Allot of things need to be thought about before making the leap into OTR trucking. It is not a move to be taken lightly.
     
  8. spinner2jammer

    spinner2jammer Light Load Member

    59
    5
    Sep 19, 2009
    Phoenix, AZ
    0
    Well I'm not sure what advise to give, since it didn't work out for me. My wife's dad has been driving all her life so you would think she would be prepared, but when I went out it was really hard for her.....not sure why other than companionship I guess, but my 7 and 9 yr old kids really started to fight and blame each other for DAD being gone, and their grades and attitudes at school started to slip, which is funny because driving concrete trucks their whole life's I was gone from sun up to sun down and they never seen me. But the last 2-3 years I have been home a lot and we all got attached to being together, all I do know is that at best its hard to make a living today for all of us, there is no right answers, and making the right choices is getting harder everytime we turn around and it really sucks that you have to pick being gone from those you love week in and out, only to gamble on a paycheck each week. Good luck in what ever you choose and know your not alone, all those men and woman out there live it each day, and help each other out. That's what makes trucking so appealing to us outsiders.:biggrin_255:
     
    Bigowl Thanks this.
  9. spinner2jammer

    spinner2jammer Light Load Member

    59
    5
    Sep 19, 2009
    Phoenix, AZ
    0
    Thanks Poobah,
    Moms health has been bad for years now but she is doing good now (H1N1 that ended up with pneumonia on top). It is defiantly hard to find a job let alone the right one these days, I dont have the required post count (not sure how many you need) to PM you but I am interested in what you have found out there and do appreciate the heads up. Seems like a lot of the companies are not hiring in this area right now. Good luck to you in your search, and I hope to hear from you soon.
     
  10. Bigowl

    Bigowl Light Load Member

    75
    4
    Nov 25, 2009
    Dallas, Texas
    0
    I appreciate everyone advice here, as well as, their opinion but, we could at least keep a positive attitude for the drivers that may have on other choice. Somehow being positive brings out the best in a person and being negative well you know how that goes. I always remember three things no matter how bad things get:
    1. When the going get though the tough get going . . .
    2. For all things turn to good for those who loves the Lord
    3. It could be worst
    Take this as you may but, I'm going to be positive for the drivers that are still out there trying to make a living for their families.
    P.S. Spinner2jammer I'll be praying for you and your family best of luck. Maybe, you can find a great local job. As, for me in the Dallas area all local jobs want a min of 2-5 years experience. So that tells you which route I have to go. However I will stay positive and continue to learn through this forum and talking with others who have been there and done that.
     
    spinner2jammer Thanks this.
  11. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    Hey Spinner, I think you need 50 posts for the PMs, so you have them now.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  • Thread Status:
    Not open for further replies.